Google earmarks $100 million plus for Hong Kong data center

Google has acquired 2.7 hectares of land in Kowloon, Hong Kong for building a data center, the company said Wednesday.

Google has acquired 2.7 hectares of land in Kowloon, Hong Kong for building a data center, the company said Wednesday.

Declining to reveal the exact location in Kowloon, a Google spokesperson said the firm expects to inject more than US$100 million into the project. "We estimate the amount'd cover the cost of land, construction, and technical equipment, though it could change due to location constraints and final design details," the spokesperson noted.

The company added that it's still working with local partners and the government to finalize plans and thus no announcement on specific timeline of the project. "But once construction begins, this facility will be operational within one to two years," the spokesperson said. "Google'd need five to 20 full-time staffers to work at the facility when it's live, along with a small number of part-time and full-time contractors, in roles like computer technicians, electrical and mechanical engineers, and catering and security."

To speed up access to Google's services in Asia, the company also has plans to build data centers in Taiwan and Singapore, said the spokesperson, adding that the firm will provide details once construction begins. "More people are coming online every day in Asia than in any other part of the world, so locating data centers here is an important next stage of Google's investment in the region," said the spokesperson.

Google has 15 offices and thousands of employees across the Asia Pacific region, including an office in Hong Kong, the company said in a statement.

The firm claimed that its Hong Kong data center will be among the most efficient and environmentally friendly in Asia, subject to the same high technical and environmental standards it adopts worldwide.

Earlier this year regional carrier Pacnet also announced a plan to build a new data center in Hong Kong--the firm's second in the SAR and its fourth in Asia Pacific.

The Hong Kong government is keen to turn the SAR into a data center hub in Asia, having launched a new Data Center Facilitation Unit earlier this quarter to promote the development of more high-tier data centers and provide information on setting up data centers in Hong Kong.